Irish CREST awards to recognise student creativity in science

The Galway Education Centre and The British Science Association are teaming up to give out the first Republic of Ireland CREST Awards scheme for creativity in science and technology among students.

In the UK, the CREST Awards are the largest national award scheme for project work in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects.

The CREST awards recognise and reward work undertaken by UK students aged 5 to 19 and will now award Irish students aged from 11 up for their studies.

“To have secured to rights to host the Irish CREST Awards is an important development in STEM subject education in Ireland,” said Bernard Kirk, director of The Galway Education Centre.

“We have for a long time now been promoting excellence and creative exploration in the STEM and T4 subjects and the response and results we have achieved have been at once both encouraging and impressive.

“To now have an official accredited awards scheme to offer Irish students by way of further endorsement and recognition of their work is a wonderful development for all of us,” said Kirk.

The Irish CREST Awards

The Galway Education Centre will organise the awards, which will be given by The British Science Association.

Three levels of excellence will be awarded. The Bronze award will be aimed at students aged 11-14, who will be provided with an activity to be completed on the day of the awards.

The Silver award will be given to students in the 14-16 age range and the Gold award will go to students aged 16 and over, who will present an authentic piece of research linked with the industry or academia.

The Irish CREST Awards will take place on 22 February in St Patrick’s College in Drumcondra, Dublin.